EAST CONWAY, N.H. — Harold Earl Wentworth Jr., 88, of East Conway, N.H., passed away Saturday, Dec. 13, 2014, surrounded by his family and loved ones.
Harold was born in East Conway, N.H., on Sept. 17, 1926, to Florence Eastman and Harold Earl Wentworth Sr. He grew up in East Conway at the Wentworth family home and attended Fryeburg Academy.
Harold was 10 when his father passed, and he was raised by his mother and stepfather, Irvin Bell. During WWII, Harold served as an Officer’s Cook in the Army in 1946. After the military, he worked as a meat cutter at the Conway, N.H., and Fryeburg A&P stores. In 1969, Harold followed in his grandfather’s footsteps by building his own butcher business, Wentworth’s Meat Market on the East Conway Road. Harold, with the support of his wife Ruby, served their neighbors until selling their business in 1993. After which, Ruby and Harold spent much time traveling and camping with their friends and family until Ruby passed.
While owning Wentworth’s Meat Market, Harold volunteered at the Fryeburg Rescue for 35 years, as well as serving as Fire Chief of the East Conway Fire Department.
After his retirement, Harold shared his love of gardening and camping with his partner Gladys Brooks of Conway, N.H. Harold’s passion for the outdoors and John Deere tractors took him to Maine Turf Company where, ‘retired,’ he worked mowing turf each season until this past summer.
Harold will be remembered for his love of family and friends, music, dancing, and always having a joke to share. He spent many hours in his woodshop, where he built everything wooden from toys for his grandchildren to birdfeeders and birdhouses. A great dancer, Harold would always be on the dance floor, holding a glass of watermelon blast, when the band was playing.
Predeceased by his loving wife Ruby of 45 years, and son Douglas, Harold is survived by his partner of 14 years, Gladys Brooks of East Conway; sons Richard of East Conway, N.H., Earl of Casa Grande, Ariz., Ike of Valdosta, Ga.; daughters Debbie Smith of East Conway, N.H., Clara Fox of Benson, Ariz., Bonnie Worden of Limington and Ginger Wentworth of Scarborough. Harold’s family includes 20 grandchildren and 31 great-grandchildren.
Visiting hours will be held Sunday, Dec. 21 from 1 to 3 p.m. at Wood Funeral Home, 9 Warren Street, Fryeburg, followed by a Celebration of Life with friends and family at the Lovell VFW on Smarts Hill Road in Lovell from 3 to 6 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Fryeburg Rescue, P.O. Box 177, Fryeburg, ME 04037, or East Conway Fire Department, 2644 East Conway Road, Center Conway, NH 03813. Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.woodfuneralhome.org